Celebrity chef returns to Beverley for award-winning partnership

1st May 2018

Celebrity chef Colin McGurran is once again bringing a cordon bleu dining experience to racegoers at every meeting at Beverley Racecourse this season.

Colin’s restaurant, Winteringham Fields, is recognised as one of the very best culinary venues in the North of England and draws discerning diners from far and wide. And now foodies can savour a mouth-watering menu created by the acclaimed chef while enjoying a glorious day of racing at the picturesque Westwood course.

Colin visited the racecourse for the opening meeting of the season to unveil his new menu to diners in the popular The Attraction restaurant. Prepared by the racecourse chefs under Colin’s expert direction, the new “Signature” menu for the early part of the season starts with mushroom ravioli with Jerusalem artichoke veloutè and mushroom foam, followed by a main course of roast duck breast, duck leg pave, beetroot puree and duck heart ragout.

The dining delight is beautifully rounded off with poached Yorkshire rhubarb, ginger sponge, crème fraiche and rhubarb sorbet. Colin’s special menu builds on a partnership between Beverley Racecourse, Winteringham Fields and the racecourse’s exclusive catering partner, CGC Event Caterers, which began last season with a specially-created main course.

Colin, Chef Patron at the Michelin-recommended restaurant in north Lincolnshire, said: “We’re proud to once again join forces with two great brands, Beverley Racecourse and CGC Event Caterers, and it’s great to be back in the kitchen here.

“We’re adding to the fabulous experience of dining at the racecourse with three new seasonal courses on the menu, so there’s now a starter, main course and dessert to choose from.

“We’re passionate about using seasonal produce so our signature dishes will vary through the spring and summer and regular diners can enjoy different Winteringham Fields culinary experiences through the season. Our dishes are quite traditional and familiar, but we’ve given them a refined twist and we think discerning racegoers will love them.”

Sally Iggulden, Chief Executive of Beverley Racecourse, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Colin back to Beverley for a second year.

“The partnership between Winteringham Fields, CGC Events and the racecourse is going from strength to strength and means our racegoers can now enjoy a full three-course menu created by one of the country’s most admired chefs. Colin’s signature dish last year was immensely popular and it’s great to see him in our kitchen once more and offering even more choice to our diners.
It’s yet another example of how we’re always striving to create a very special experience for racegoers.”

Colin took over Winteringham Fields in 2005 and re-invented the restaurant as one of the country’s leading fine dining venues. He is also a familiar figure on television cooking programmes, including Saturday Kitchen, Ramsay’s Best Restaurant and the Great British Menu, emerging as a winner in both 2012 and 2014.

Winteringham Fields is visited regularly by celebrities, the most recent being singer Gary Barlow who dined in the restaurant while staying in the venue’s accommodation for four nights while in the region for shows at Hull City Hall during his UK-wide tour.

The Attraction restaurant contributed to Beverley being listed in the top 12 courses in England and Wales, ranked alongside venues such as Ascot, Aintree and Cheltenham, for quality of raceday experience in the Racecourse Association’s 2017 assessment involving VisitEngland.

As well as Colin’s dishes, there are a host of exquisite tastes on offer on The Attraction’s refreshed menu for the 2018 season. Tempting starter dishes on the menu include beetroot and liquorice cured salmon with citrus dressed fennel and beetroot radish slaw; and smoked haddock and leek croquette on rocket tarragon cream. Mouth-watering mains include treacle-roasted sirloin of beef, chateau potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted carrots, parsnips and a rich Claret glaze; harissa-spiced shoulder of lamb, Moroccan-infused Israel couscous and chickpeas; and sea bream fillet filled with smoked aubergine, roasted peppers and lemon fondant potato.

If you still have room, tempting desserts include a vanilla cheesecake with rhubarb puree and tuille biscuit; and bitter chocolate and malt tart with crème Anglaise. Sharing platters, a good selection of vegetarian options and a reimagined afternoon tea selection complement the new menu.

To book a table in The Attraction restaurant, call Sara of the racecourse catering team on 01482 867488. The restaurant is extremely popular, so racegoers are advised to book in advance and can reserve a table for the whole meeting for just £10 per head. A limited number of tables are available on the day, on a first-come-first-served basis.

The next meeting on the Westwood is Bygone Beverley on the May Day Bank Holiday Monday, May 7, when the racecourse is recreating a raceday in 1960. The meeting is the first family day of the season and a new theme day for 2018, featuring retro attractions, such as traditional rides and side stalls, and entertainment from a host of characters from the time. More details here.

Tickets for all the fixtures are available to buy via the button at the top right of this page or by calling the ticket hotline on 01482 867488. Racegoers are advised to book in advance, especially for the most popular meetings.